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EMILIE J. MERIMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters .Patent No. 81,926, dated September 8, 1868; anieclated September 4, 1868'.

i IMPROVEMENT IN GORSETS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, EMILIE J. MERIMAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Corset; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description Vof the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 representsa front view, and

Figure 2 a rear view, both in perspective.

In this invention, the corset is so constructed and supported, and so adapted tothe clothes of the wearer, that it supports the waist, back, and breastswithout in the slightest degree interfering with the natural action of the muscles, or producing any injurious pressure or stricture upon any part of the system, while at the same time Vit sustains the whole weight of the skirts, thereby relieving the hips from undue pressure, and greatly promoting the comfort and health of the wearer. i

The object of the corsets that are generally worn is threefold: iirst, to distribute the pressure caused by lacing the clothing around the waist, so as to prevent an unhealthy compression of the body at that point;

secondly, to support the waist and back', performing, to a certain degree, the same oiice for which shoulderbraces are worn; and, thirdly, to protect the breasts from pressure caused by the weight of the clothing.

The most of the corsets in use accomplish two of these objects; they distribute the compression caused by lacing, and they support the back and waist, but they do not properly protect the. breasts from unhealthy compression, caused by the dragging down of the heavy clothing, and, besides this, they leavc the hips to sustain 'nearly the entire weight of the skirts, which, in the modern style of female dress, is far too great a weight to be thrown upon that part of the system without danger of producing not merely a feeling of discomfort, and a want of freedom of action for the lower limbs, but oftentimes severe and perhaps incurable disease.

The invention that I am about to describe is intendedto'remedy all these defects in the old corsets, and to* furnish an improved corset, that will fit snugly, but without interfering at all with the natural action of every part of the system, and which will so sustain and distribute the weight and pressure of allV the clothing, that no part of thebody shall be subjected to any injurious or disagreeable consequences, either immediate or remote.

In order to accomplish this result, I construct my corsets, as usual, of two parts, one of which encloses each side of the wearer, the two parts, A A', being hooked together at F F, in front, and laced together at G G, up and down the back. p

Each part is composed of three sections, B C D, the middle section, C, forming a belt or zonewhich encomi passes the waist, the lower section expanding over the hips, as shown at D D, and the upper section gored, or otherwise made to expand, so as to conform 'to vthe shape of the chest and back, and so as to cover and enclose, without compressing, the lower portion of the breasts. The usual stays, s as s,.of whalebone or steel, are employed to give the body of the corset sufficient firmness to enable it to properly support the body, and distribute throughout the whole length of the corset any compression that may bev produced by lacing,vbuttoning, or otherwise fastening the skirts around the waist. These stays are'within the walls of the corset, covered by its texture.

Were I to leave the corset in this situation, there'would be nothing novel in its construction, neither would it answer the purposes required of it. In order to perfect its operation, I add to it a supporting-attachment, which I will now describe, and in which consists the main feature of my invention. i

This attachment is composed of two straps, I I, which are attached to the back of the central section or zone, C, by a laterally and vertically-adjustable lacing, K, and which, crossing each other between the shoulderblades, under the top of the corset, extendover the shoulders, and down in front, between the breasts and the arms, to the point on the central zone,`nearly or quite under the arm-pit, and only an inch or thereabouts distant from the lacing K, and there th'e front ends of the straps are attached to said zone by au adjustable lacing, similar to that shown at K. In connection with thesel supporting-straps, thus attached, I suspend the clothing from the lowersection of the corset by means of buttons, H H H, fastened to it in suitable positions therefor.

The corset can be adjusted higher vvor lower on the person by letting out or shortening up the cord e, that connects the ends of the strapsI I with the eyelets in the corset. In order .to enable the wearer to adjust thel ends of said straps, or their connecting lacing, forward or back, so that they will set easily, and properly support the corset and clothing attached thereto, Il make an adjustable lacing, in the following manner: I provide three eyelets, c c"c, in a horizontal line in the corset, and from half an inch to an inch apart. I also provide three eyelets, z' j, in the ends of the straps I, arranged horizontally, and at any convenient distance apart. I then take a cord, e, pass one end in through the eyelet c, then in through the eyelet z', then out through eyelet c', then in through eyelet c, then under the end of strap I, and up to eyelet Stilen in through i', then out through eyelet c, then in through eyelet c', then in through eyelet z', then out through o, and their to the other end of the cord, where the two ends of the cord are tiled or fastened together in any way that convenience or fancy may suggest. The nature of this lacing is such, that, after the corset is on, the ends of' the straps I I may be drawn back or forward, by means of the cord e, till they reach an easy position for the wearer, and then left in that position, where they will remain till again adjusted by a direct pull on' the oord, as before.

It will be observed that by this arrangement no pressure whatever, whether o f straps or the body oi'. -the corset, is brought upon the breasts; neither'is the whole weight of the clothing necessarily thrown upon the hips or upon the shoulders; but it may be so adjusted that each part shall bear its proportional part of such vWeight, while all'the muscles are left perfectly untrammelled and free.v v

Having thus described my invention, what I-claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Supporting the corsets, and the clothing depending therefrom, by means of straps I I, the ends of which are attached, by an adjustable lacing or other fastening, to the waistband or middle of the corse`t,fsubstantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me, this 26th day of January, 1868.

' I EMILIE J. MERIMAN. Witnesses: i

EDWIN C. CUsHMAN, RALPH W. MERIMAN. 

